Alternative Wedding Venue Ideas

Make your special day one to remember - host a unique wedding reception at the brewery! This alternative venue boasts a fun atmosphere that'll make your guests feel like they can let loose. Enjoy quality craft beer while you and your family revel in an unforgettable experience. Say cheers to many happy years!

With backdrops of grapes and greens, a winery provides a picturesque location and convenient beverage services. In Minnesota, wineries are becoming a popular place to host weddings in the summertime. Hit a wine tasting with a group of friends while you vet out the place as a potential ceremony or reception location.

Definitely alternative and probably not a good option if you’re claustrophobic. Keep in mind, the kind of caves that offer private events are extraordinary. They have snazzy rooms perfectly equipped to host a wedding. If you're in the Twin Cities, Wabasha Street Caves (St. Paul) offer wedding packages. If you want to have some fun while also vetting out the space, check out their Minnesota gangster tours!

Overlooking the sea is the place to be. We're also so spoiled here in Minnesota with all of our glorious lakes AND the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers. Any bluff you choose is a picturesque, perfect place to host your nuptials. Say your vows while bald eagles soar overhead and the soothing sounds of the river flow below.

Redwood National Park
📷  Rad Red Creative

What better way to enter into the roller coaster of marriage than by tying the knot while riding on or surrounded by one!? When it comes to an amusement park wedding, it's incredibly difficult to compete with a Disney Fairy Tale Wedding. Your magical choices include venues in Florida, California, Hawaii or on a Disney Cruise.
If you're local to the Twin Cities, and want a more casual affair, Valleyfair Amusement park offers private events. You can also rent a variety of buildings at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds or host your ceremony during the end of summer event. Fellow local vendor, The Wedding Shoppe featured a Carnival Wedding Story on their website that's full of inspo.

In case you missed it above, you can host your special day aboard a Disney Cruise! Other major cruise lines such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean also offer wedding packages for guests. Ceremonies take place at sea or on land at one of the destinations.

In the land of 10,000 lakes, boat wedding options are aplenty! Top picks, include Wayzata Bay Charters in the west metro, Stillwater River Boats on the St. Croix River and the Paddleford Riverboats that sail on the Mississippi.

Stillwater River Boats
 📷 Jeff Schad Imagery

Love the water, but prefer not to be on it during your special day, think beyond the beach and host your wedding on the water sans the messy sand. Places like Leopold's Mississippi Gardens and St Paul's Harriet Island Bandshell overlook the scenic Mississippi river.

If you geek out on science and history, a museum could be the perfect place for your wedding day! In many cases, you and your guests will get free reign of the exhibits on-site as an added bonus. Enjoy the romantic ambiance of a museum setting with the added bonus of scientific artifacts, interactive exhibits, and plenty of photo opportunities.

Whether you're a performing artist, enjoy being in the spotlight or simply want a unique place to house your union, an historic theatre can be a wonderful selection. Many are adorned with intricate carvings, velvet drape and feature romantic lighting. If you're looking for a place in the Twin Cities, you and your crew are sure to love the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis for your special day.

Guthrie Theater
 📷 Rivets and Roses Photography

Say "I do" at a historic building and make your single life a thing of the past! A venue that's sure to leave your guests impressed! Start at your state's historical society for a list of possible site options for your wedding. The Minnesota Historical Society is a great resource, and some of the popular wedding reception sites include Stillwater's JX Event Venue, the St. Paul College Club, and the historic Broz Hotel.

The "happily ever after" of dreams is right here for you! Get hitched like a royal with a castle, prince, princess, and ballroom for your wedding ceremony. Tie the knot like royalty!

Say "I do" in a truly wild way! Host a zoo wedding reception and celebrate your special day surrounded by exotic animals. Enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience that your guests will never forget and walk away with an experience that everyone will be talking about for years to come!

Como Zoo and Conservatory
 📷 @comofriends

A pavilion is a fancy name for a shelter, typically open-air to some degree, used in a park or garden and some can be quite extraordinary and ornate. Needless to say, they provide a wonderful option for an outdoor, summer wedding venue. You get the best of both worlds with some coverage, but beautiful views and fresh air. Two local favorites are the Nicollet Island Pavilion in Minneapolis and the Como Lakeside Pavilion in St Paul.

Plan your big day with a barn wedding that's both classy and fun! Most of these rustic-style venues gives a unique touch to your special day, while still keeping it sophisticated and chic. Let your guests have a blast in a cozy barn filled with your own personalized details.

Intimate & Rustic Barn Wedding
 📷 John Furber Farm

With only four months of warm weather year-round, if we're lucky, Minnesotans have an affinity for the indoor gardens around town. Conservatories and arboretums are a perfect place to get a fix of nature's botanical beauty and warmth and most offer private event hosting options. Bonus: they can save you a bundle on floral expenses!

Huzzah! The Minnesota Renaissance Festival has an abundance of amazing wedding and reception venue options on its grounds, including the Secret Garden and its picturesque front gate that resembles a castle. You can host your event during Aug-Oct when the festival is going on, but there are package options available as early as May, so you can have a more private affair.

This one speaks to Minnesotans more than most, but we've got some amazingly beautiful historic lodges in the Northwoods. One local favorite, Grand View Lodge, is on beautiful Gull Lake and recently added a small private chapel to the grounds. Other set-up options include outside overlooking the lake under towering trees surrounded by gorgeous gardens.